


silence in the dead of night (i think we've got a shot this time)

by dorkymish



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Adoption, American Sign Language, Canon Related, Deaf Character, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Fluff ensues, Kid Fic, M/M, based off of a commercial, dean and cas adopt a deaf girl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-08
Updated: 2016-03-08
Packaged: 2018-05-25 11:52:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6194132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dorkymish/pseuds/dorkymish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean and Castiel have waited thirteen friggin' months for their kid.</p>
<p>They aren't going to let anything stop them this time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	silence in the dead of night (i think we've got a shot this time)

**Author's Note:**

> This work is inspired by the following Wells Fargo Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxDsx8HfXEk

“ _Cas_.”

 

Something about the way Dean says it, the shaky timbre in a word as simple as his name, makes Castiel stop in the middle of stirring the pasta to turn to look at him. Green eyes blown wide, Dean’s cell phone teetering dangerously in his hand, Dean smiled so broadly at Castiel that he thought they both might burst. Castiel smiled back at him out of habit before he noticed the tears in the corners of Dean’s eyes. He dropped the stirring spoon and went immediately to Dean’s side. “Dean,” he pressed, urgent. “Dean, what’s wrong?”

 

Dean laughed breathlessly and waved the phone near Castiel’s face. He immediately took the phone from Dean’s hand and peered at the screen. The most recent call was— “The adoption agency?” Castiel whispered, jaw slackening. He pressed a hand against Dean’s chest. “Dean, _what did they say_?”

 

A hysteric giggle burst through Dean’s lips. “Cas, they got us a kid. We have a _kid_.”

 

A thousand emotions ran through Castiel, but the one that took priority was a swelling joy that started in his heart and tore through his body until it burst through his mouth in an ecstatic cry. He grabbed Dean by the lapels of his jacket and pulled him in for a frantic kiss, both laughing desperately. Dean pulled away when he felt a moisture on his cheek, raising his hand to wipe the tear that had escaped Castiel’s eye.

 

Panting and laughing and filled with an utmost joy, Castiel rested his forehead against Dean’s and whispered in a ragged breath, “I’ve waited for this day for so long.”

 

For thirteen months, Dean and Castiel had fought tooth and nail against adoption agencies, trying desperately to get a kid. They’d waited so long just to get together that it hadn’t taken long for them to decide it was time to settle down. Six weeks into hanging up their guns, Castiel had brought up how empty their house was when Sam had moved out, and immediately they’d begun their search for a baby. For thirteen months, they’d been turned down, turned away, falsely led on. They’d tried to find a foster child, tried fifty different agencies, and every time they never got what they thought they deserved.

 

Finally, _finally_ , that phone call came, and Castiel couldn’t describe the warmth that filled his heart and lifted his bones.

 

“We, uh,” Dean took a shaky breath. “Jesus, shit, Cas… We gotta go to the agency tomorrow. Some stuff to work over. Then in a few weeks we can meet her.”

 

Castiel let out another hysteric laugh. “She’s a girl?” he whispered excitedly, but captured Dean’s lips with his own before he could answer. “We have a _daughter_!”

 

Dean laughed against Castiel’s mouth, squeezing his eyes closed and nodding. “We got her. We got our little girl.”

 

* * *

 

The drive to the adoption agency was filled with tension and nervous laughs. Castiel couldn’t stop his knees from bouncing, and Dean kept wiping his sweaty palms across his jeans. They didn’t say much, both to rattled by the fact that they’d soon be bringing home their _child_. Dean barely had time to park before Castiel was throwing open the door and racing to the door.

 

“Cas, _Cas_ , slow down,” Dean grumbled, stumbling out of the car and locking it. Castiel bounced on his heels. “We got time, babe.”

 

“I want this done as soon as possible,” Castiel announced. “I want our daughter _now_.”

 

Dean rolled his eyes, but stretched out his hand and linked his fingers through Castiel’s with a small squeeze. “Can we just,” Dean mumbled. “Can we just take, like, two seconds to _fucking breathe_. Oh my god, we’re getting a kid. We’ve waited _so_ long. We’re finally here.”

 

Castiel reached up with his free hand and placed it on Dean’s cheek. “We’re here.”

 

The inside of the adoption agency was homey and warm. A friendly blonde receptionist smiled brightly and Dean and Castiel as they walked in, and directed them to a room down the hall. Sitting down across from the social worker who’d been helping them and the adoption agency employee who’d finally secured them a kid, Castiel blurted, “When can we meet her?”

 

The social worker laughed. “Don’t worry, Mister Winchester, you’ll see your daughter soon enough.”

 

Dean grinned dumbly at the social worker, Michael Davis. The woman in the room, Sabrina Wilcox, passed a folder to Castiel, and he immediately picked it up and began to leaf through it. His hands faltered when a picture tumbled out. “Dean,” Castiel gasped breathlessly. “Dean, look at her.

 

“Nora Thompson, age two,” Sabrina said with a small smile. “Recently orphaned; her parents passed away in a car accident about a week ago. She has no other family to go to; we've exhausted our resources making sure. In her parents' will, they requested she be given to a couple who waited quite some time for a baby.”

 

“That’s us,” Castiel said excitedly. “Dean, look at Nora.”

 

Dean stared in awe at the picture of their little girl; her chubby cheeks were framed by thick dark curls, green eyes wide and staring at the camera with a toothy smile. She was perfect, and Dean was instantly in love with her. “Nora,” he whispered. “Hi, baby.”

 

Sabrina cleared her throat. "It's law that potential parents foster a recently orphaned child for at least twelve months before the adoption can be made final. You indicated in your profile that you weren't opposed to fostering. That's why Michael is here today; he'll be the social worker assigned to your case. Are you still open to fostering?" Both Dean and Castiel began to nod rapidly, still unable to stop looking at the picture of their baby. Sabrina pressed on. “There’s a…complication,” she began warily, and two pairs of eyes shot up immediately to her face. “Something you’ll want to take into consideration before you sign the papers today.”

 

“Is she okay?” Dean demanded.

 

Sabrina laced her fingers and leaned forward on the desk. “Nora is an incredibly healthy little girl—and she’s a very lucky one, too. She was in the car crash with her parents and she survived. But… the accident didn’t come without repercussions. Nora suffered extensive damage to her ear drums.”

 

“So?” Castiel prodded.

 

“So,” Sabrina continued. “Sabrina is deaf. She’s lost all of her hearing and there’s no chance she’ll regain it.”

 

Dean stared at Sabrina like he was waiting for the fucking punch line. Michael sat next to her, arms crossed and eyes narrowed at Dean and Castiel as he waited to examine their reactions. “ _And_?” Dean asked, because there had to be something more.

 

Sabrina sighed. “Some parents might not want to deal with the strife this will put on their home lives. Especially a couple on their first kid.”

 

Castiel stood up rapidly. The chair he’d been sitting in clambered to the floor with a loud screech. “That’s my _fucking child_ and I don’t care if she has _three fucking eyes_. She’s still a child, goddammit, and she’s gonna be _ours_ ,” Castiel hissed

 

Dean swore in that moment that he had never loved Castiel more than he had in that moment. He grabbed Castiel’s hand and squeezed, promising with that simple touch that he was with Castiel one hundred percent. Castiel took a shuddering breath and stepped back, squeezing Dean’s hand once before picking up his chair and sitting back down.

 

Michael was fucking grinning from ear to ear. “Told ya,” he said smugly to Sabrina.

 

Sabrina’s jaw was slack in surprise. She quickly recovered, finding the files that Dean and Castiel needed to sign and handing them over.

 

They had two weeks to get ready for Nora, and then they were going to bring her home.

 

* * *

 

“We should learn sign language,” Castiel announced, plopping down on the couch next to Dean and stealing the bowl of popcorn. “For Nora. We could teach her. Accommodate to her. She’ll be a part of that culture, we should be able to help her as much as we can.”

 

“Right,” Dean agreed. “That’s while Sam and Eileen are coming over tomorrow for lunch.”

 

Castiel didn’t reply.

 

Dean peeked at him from the corner of his eye, and saw Castiel grinning at him ridiculously. He turned to face Castiel full on, and said, “ _What_?”

 

“Holy shit, I’m so in love with you.”

 

Dean didn’t have time to reply before Castiel was attacking his mouth with his own. “Yeah, I love you too, dummy,” Dean laughed against Castiel’s mouth.

 

* * *

 

_Short, firm wave_.

 

_Hand flat on chest. Two h-hands hapes, one starting near the chin, meet at chest. D-E-A-N. Flat palm slides across palm. Two closed d-hand shapes meet at cbest. Index finger points to you_.

 

Eileen beamed proudly at Dean. “Very good,” she said, clapping him on the back. Dean grinned happily back and signed _thank you_ to her compliment. Eileen poked Sam’s cheek and he turned to face her. With a sharp point at Dean, she raised her hand into a thumb’s up. “He learns almost as quick as you.”

 

Sam winked at Eileen. “He’s determined,” Sam told her before turning to face Dean. “I’d say we all are. You’ve got us all pumped up to meet Nora.”

 

Eileen grinned again and sighed happily. “I’m excited to meet my little niece,” she said, and the small sentiment warmed Dean’s heart. Next to him, Castiel waved and directed Eileen’s attention to his signing.

 

Castiel pointed first at Eileen. Then, he placed a loose fist near his mouth and slowly stretched out his fingers. Another point to Eileen followed by two clenched fists shivering next to his side. The expression on Castiel’s face was total hope, and he was rewarded by Eileen’s gracious smile.

 

“You learn nice, too,” she told Castiel, and the grin that split his face was an image that Dean swore he’d never forget.

 

* * *

 

_I’m so proud of you_.

 

_I love you._

 

_You’re the most important person in the world_.

 

Dean watched from the doorway of their bedroom as Castiel practiced phrases in front of the mirror. He was brushing his teeth; an action that was taking him a long-ass time. Dean had decided to investigate and see what was taking Castiel so long to get ready, but he was frozen in place as he watched Castiel practice again and again.

 

Their two week waiting period was up, and today was the day they were bringing home their little girl.

 

Dean walked up behind Castiel and wrapped his arms around his waist, nuzzling into Castiel’s necks. He felt Castiel halt his movements, quickly finishing brushing his teeth and rinsing his mouth as best he could with Dean wrapped around his back. “Hello, there,” he murmured when he was done, craning his head to place a kiss on the top of Dean’s hair.

 

“I love you,” Dean mumbled into Castiel’s tan skin. “I’m so glad we’re doing this.”

 

Castiel tapped Dean’s forehead, getting him to raise his head enough to look at the both of them in the mirror.

 

_I love you. Let’s go get our daughter_.

 

Dean grinned, placed a quick peck on Castiel’s neck, then pulled away enough to sign back, _our baby._

 

* * *

 

Nora was breathtaking in yellow.

 

She’d warmed to Dean and Castiel easily enough, and soon she had grown accustom to her new surroundings. Like all two year olds, she threw vicious tantrums and screamed louder than usual, but Dean and Castiel were patient. And they loved her endlessly.

 

Dean had spent countless hours reading up on how to teach toddlers ASL, and was helping Nora learn as normal two year olds do. Castiel signed to Dean as often as possible, making sure Nora could see that it was how they communicated. Dean baked cupcakes with her and Castiel told stories with his hands, and both of them tried tirelessly to rouse out her tiny, precious giggle. Eileen and Sam came over often, playing with their niece and spoiling her rotten. Castiel scolded Dean for giving her so many sweets, and Dean yelled at Castiel until he was blue in the face when he’d learned that Castiel had been letting Nora stay up past her bed-time.

 

They were tired constantly, and it was _awesome_.

 

On a particularly sunny afternoon, six months into fostering their baby girl, Dean had dressed Nora in a pretty yellow sundress and hat and had convinced Castiel to accompany them on a walk. Nora was visionary in yellow—though, Dean supposed, there wasn’t much that Nora wasn’t perfect in. She was still wobbly on her feet but insisted on walking, squirming and hitting Dean or Castiel whenever they tried to pick her up. She had a cute little waddle as she tried to regain her footing, and Dean couldn’t help himself from snapping picture after picture.

 

Nora gasped when they rounded a corner and came to a stop. Castiel immediately crouched down beside her, and Nora turned to him and pointed. Laying on a lawn with a curious head titled in their direction was a dog, who Nora pointed at eagerly. Castiel smiled with understanding and nodded. Nora pointed at the dog again, then poked Castiel’s chest with her chubby little fingers, and finally pointed at his hands. Dean laughed above them, capturing Castiel’s attention.

 

Nora let out an impatient whine and poked angrily at Castiel’s chest again before pointing at his hands again, more demanding. “She wants to know the sign,” Dean whispered, and Castiel redirected his attention to his little girl.

 

Carefully, he pointed to the dog first, and Nora’s green eyes followed the movement easily before snapping back to his face. Castiel tapped his hip and snapped his fingers, and Nora’s eyes lit up as she tried to copy the movement. It took several tries and a frustrated grunt on Nora’s part before she finally got it right, and her joyful laugh was enough to fill every void Dean had ever felt in his miserable existence. Castiel picked Nora up and swung her around, bringing out another fit of giggles, before bringing her close to his chest where she nestled happily into his side.

 

He caught Dean’s gaze, fond and warm and happy, and the corners of his mouth lifted automatically into a smile. 

 

_I’m so happy,_ he signed.

 

_I’m happy, too._

**Author's Note:**

> On ASL: I am currently a student who is studying ASL. I have done my best to accurately describe how the signs are signed. I have also tried to be as authentic to deaf culture as possible. That being said, I am hearing and still trying to learn and fully understand ASL and deaf culture. If there is anything wrong, let me know and I will address it.  
> On Adoption: I have never adopted a child nor has anyone I know closely adopted. My knowledge of the adoption process is fairly limited. If I am missing something major, let me know and I will address it.
> 
> Finally, I hope you enjoyed this!


End file.
